Prototypes

Prototypes

National Training Center: Comprehensive Enhanced Fidelity Program

2005-2007 Project Leader: Lori Weiss

As the nature of war has changed, it has become increasingly clear that soldiers need training in cultural awareness. To respond to this need, the National Training Center (NTC), based at Fort Irwin, Calif., developed realistic role-playing scenarios focused on deepening the understanding of Iraqi culture and customs. The Institute for Creative Technologies worked with the NTC to enhance the fidelity of this training.

ICT drew upon the talents of Hollywood artists and technicians who have successfully created immersive environments for well-known motion pictures and popular theme parks around the world. By bringing together professionals from the entertainment industry in the areas of writing, directing, special effects and production services, ICT helped create a more realistic training field.

Inside the NTC, 1100 square kilometers of Mojave Desert currently serve as Iraqi villages. In these villages a combination of Iraqi Nationals and local National Guard forces role-play with the soldiers who come to train at the NTC. The scenarios, from the NTC scenario development team, are designed based on learning objectives gathered from the incoming troops in the months prior to the exercises. Each scenario is specific to that particular rotation.

ICT worked with the NTC staff to enhance scenario development, role-play and special effects as they apply to specific exercises. The goal of ICT’s work was to “train the trainers” – help the NTC with not only the technologies and tools, but most importantly, transferring skills and knowledge to be utilized by the NTC team long after ICT personnel departed.

This effort was performed under the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) contract being managed by the United States Army Simulation and Training Technology Center (STTC).

External Collaborators

John Levoff, Producer

Bob Reynolds, TV Producer, Academic Technology, San Jose State University

Richard Stutsman, Special Effects

Carl Weathers, Actor/Director

Bob Wolterstoff, Writer

Herman Zimmerman, Set Designer

Photo Gallery

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Team

Lori Weiss

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Work depicted here was sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL). Statements and opinions expressed and content included do not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government, and no official endorsement should be inferred.